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INTL-UNI Project: The Challenges of the Multilingual and Multicultural Learning Space in the International University

Project Overview

In the process of internationalisation, universities are faced with new challenges and opportunities for maintaining and improving the quality of their programmes. Students and lecturers alike form much more heterogeneous groups than ever before, speaking a wide spectrum of languages and representing a wide spectrum of cultural backgrounds in what may be termed the Multilingual and Multicultural Learning Space (M&MLS). This three-year EU funded project aims to identify ways of addressing these challenges and making the most of the opportunities to eventually produce a series of quality criteria for international programmes. Almost all European Higher Educations Institutions (HEIs) have undergone tremendous changes as a result of internationalisation and the development of the European Higher Education Area. Until now, many resources have been devoted to key areas such as motivating and funding mobility (grants), ensuring transferability of credits (ECTS and the Qualification Framework) as well as joint European Quality Standards. However, what actually goes on in the classroom, where lecturers as well as students have different first languages and have grown up in different educational cultures with different educational traditions and norms, has attracted less attention. This is where IntlUni aims to make a difference!
In the development towards the EHEA, many HEIs are facing challenges formerly unknown to them. Students and lecturers alike form much more heterogeneous groups than ever before, speaking a wide spectrum of languages and representing a wide spectrum of cultural backgrounds in what may be termed the Multilingual and Multicultural Learning Space (M&MLS).

Aims of the Project

The aims of the IntlUni Erasmus Academic Network are:

  • to identify the quality criteria that should characterise teaching and learning in the Multilingual and Multicultural Learning Space;
  • to develop recommendations for how Higher Education Institutions may implement and ensure the sustainability of quality teaching and learning in the Multilingual and Multicultural Learning Space;
  • to identify different types of settings for the International HEI (e.g. teaching through the national language or another language to national or international students with lecturers teaching through their L1, L2 or L3) with a view to establishing a typology of such settings;
  • to identify the linguistic, cultural and pedagogical/didactic challenges in the various types of HEIs in the typology;
  • to identify possible ways to meet these challenges within different HE teaching and learning cultures; - To identify examples of successful practice in different scenarios;
  • to develop a set of recommendations for the implementation processes that meet these quality criteria at institutional and national levels as well as recommendations for possible European cooperation in this area.

Further details in the box of download.

Working Group Member

Catherine Riley

Outcomes

The results of the IntlUni project will be relevant for any HEI or other post-secondary educational institutions with an international dimension as well as for organisations and associations in European Higher Education. Project outputs are presented on the IntlUni Network website and social media, and at appropriate phases of the project, Network-external stakeholders are invited to provide input and/or respond to the outputs via electronic consultation.

Organization

The IntlUni Academic Network comprises of 38 educational institutions in 28 countries.

IntlUni partners: Inner circle.

  • One person from each institution participates in IntlUni meetings twice a year.
  • At each partner institution members of a Working Group cooperate on IntlUni tasks.
  • List of all IntlUni Partners

Outer circle: Other interested parties

  • Who may wish to be kept informed about the progress of IntlUni (web site, electronic newsletter), and
  • Who may wish to interact electronically via e.g. blog, commenting on draft results.

Calendar

All the details HERE.

Work Packages

WP 1: Management
WP 2: Identification of HEI Scenarios
WP 3: Identification of linguistic, cultural and pedagogical / didactic challenges
WP 4: Identification of examples of successful practice and quality criteria
WP 5: Development of Recommendations
WP 6: Evaluation and Quality Assurance
WP 7: Dissemination
WP 8: Synthesis of impact and exploitation reports
 

Partners

  • Aarhus University
  • Vienna University of Economics and Business
  • Vrije Universiteit Brussel
  • Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel
  • Agricultural University Plovdiv
  • University of Lausanne
  • University of Cyprus
  • Charles University in Prague
  • Freie Universität Berlin
  • University of Freiburg
  • European University Viarina Frankfurt (Oder)
  • Roskilde University
  • University of Copenhagen
  • University of Southern Denmark
  • Tallinn University
  • Pompeu Fabra University
  • University of Jyväskylä
  • University Montesquieu Bordeaux IV
  • University of Szeged
  • Waterford Institute of Technology
  • University of Iceland
  • Sapienza University of Rome
  • University of Trento
  • Vytautas Magnus University
  • University of Latvia
  • Radboud University Nijmegen
  • University of Groningen
  • Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences
  • University of Warsaw
  • University of Minho
  • Babes-Bolyai University
  • Stockholm University
  • University of Ljubljana
  • Koc University
  • University of Essex
  • University of Southampton
  • Virtual University of Tunisia

Key contact(s)

Aarhus University: Karen M. Lauridsen, IntlUni Project Coordinator

University of Trento, School of International Studies: Catherine Riley